Omaha Eppley Airfield - DISCUSSION

[Ben]

I don't think I ever realized how offset the North and South terminals are... Given that the final layout is essentially linear, with a slight jog on the north end, does this mean that the south terminal will just be getting a remodel, where as the north is essentially a full teardown to accommodate the final configuration?

[skinzfan23]

That looks great so far. Love this bc sometimes it’s hard to tell how much has been accomplished but here you can visually see.

[TitosBuritoBarn]

Wow! The first thing that amazes me is just how quickly the new terminal building is going up. The second thing is how slowly the new canopy is being completed in comparison.

[almighty_tuna]

I don't think I ever realized how offset the North and South terminals are... Given that the final layout is essentially linear, with a slight jog on the north end, does this mean that the south terminal will just be getting a remodel, where as the north is essentially a full teardown to accommodate the final configuration?

IIRC it will be torn down and rebuilt, but toward the end so the newer section can take the gate load during reconstruction.

[skinzfan23]

Yes, that is correct.

Here is the video showing it:

[Brad]

Really making some progress. Like everything else in Omaha, all those new glass panels have Texas dirt all over them...

[skinzfan23]

Really making some progress. Like everything else in Omaha, all those new glass panels have Texas dirt all over them...

I didn't even notice that until you mentioned it.

[Bob from Omaha]

Over the years either the idea of a name change or as in this case others doing it, here you go...

[Padre]

From the Eppley airport Facebook page:

Now Open: As a preview of the future terminal finishes, customers can now experience new restrooms in the South Terminal on Level 1, near the Delta and Frontier ticket counters. Check them out on your next visit to OMA! #BuildOMA

You want to see progress, come see our bathroom!

[GenX]

From the Eppley airport Facebook page:

Now Open: As a preview of the future terminal finishes, customers can now experience new restrooms in the South Terminal on Level 1, near the Delta and Frontier ticket counters. Check them out on your next visit to OMA! #BuildOMA

You want to see progress, come see our bathroom!

Getting |expletive| done.

[djc311]

Had to pickup my wife from the airport yesterday... what a cluster. I'd hate to be from out of town and try to figure out their zig-zag arrow mess on the signage. It is NOT user friendly whatsoever... it's like they did a decent job of directing people off of Abbott but then once you get a few hundred feet away from the main (south) garage entrance, everything turns into total chaos.

I also love how a few of the signs hanging down from the garage ceiling (on the first floor) have been pegged by vehicles.

I understand it's for the best for expansion and improvement, but it's definitely a challenge for the time being.

[GenX]

Had to pickup my wife from the airport yesterday... what a cluster. I'd hate to be from out of town and try to figure out their zig-zag arrow mess on the signage. It is NOT user friendly whatsoever... it's like they did a decent job of directing people off of Abbott but then once you get a few hundred feet away from the main (south) garage entrance, everything turns into total chaos.

I also love how a few of the signs hanging down from the garage ceiling (on the first floor) have been pegged by vehicles.

I understand it's for the best for expansion and improvement, but it's definitely a challenge for the time being.

When I drove through there a couple months ago, the big yellow "low clearance" bar that hangs down above the entrance was missing. Whoops!
It's since been put back in place.

[djc311]

Had to pickup my wife from the airport yesterday... what a cluster. I'd hate to be from out of town and try to figure out their zig-zag arrow mess on the signage. It is NOT user friendly whatsoever... it's like they did a decent job of directing people off of Abbott but then once you get a few hundred feet away from the main (south) garage entrance, everything turns into total chaos.

I also love how a few of the signs hanging down from the garage ceiling (on the first floor) have been pegged by vehicles.

I understand it's for the best for expansion and improvement, but it's definitely a challenge for the time being.

When I drove through there a couple months ago, the big yellow "low clearance" bar that hangs down above the entrance was missing. Whoops!
It's since been put back in place.

LOL - I wonder how many continue to just drive under thinking their vehicle will magically fit and they end up scraping the roof.

[Mr.Nuke]

2024 Q3 PDEW

Denver 302
Phoenix 288
Chicago 288
Dallas/Fort Worth 267
Los Angeles 260
New York City 229
Washington D.C. 223
Las Vegas 206
Seattle 202
Atlanta 161
Orlando 157
Houston 139
San Francisco 126
Boston 111
Tampa 100
Nashville 99
Miami 98
San Diego 95
Salt Lake City 82
Charlotte 82
Minneapolis 80
Portland 75
St. Louis 69
Detroit 69
Philadelphia 61
Austin 52
Raleigh/Durham 49
Sacramento 48
San Antonio 47
Valparaiso 46
Cleveland 35
New Orleans 34
Pittsburgh 33
Jacksonville 32
Fort Myers 31
Columbus 29
Panama City 28
Indianapolis 27
Boise 26
Spokane 25
Reno 25
Charleston 25
Norfolk 24
Pensacola 23
Myrtle Beach 23
Louisville 23
Cincinnati 23
Hartford 22
Savannah 22
Tucson 21
Portland Maine 20
Sarasota/Bradenton 20
Albuquerque 20
Richmond 20

[NEDodger]

Can’t believe we still haven’t gotten nonstop to Boston back.

[Mr.Nuke]

2024 Q4 PDEW

Phoenix 401
Denver 281
Los Angeles 270
Chicago 254
New York City 241
Dallas/Fort Worth 234
Las Vegas 225
Washington D.C. 216
Orlando 188
Atlanta 150
Houston 45
Seattle 135
San Francisco 131
Miami 127
Boston 94
Nashville 90
Charlotte 89
Tampa 86
San Diego 81
Minneapolis 78
Salt Lake City 71
St. Louis 69
Detroit 59
Portland 58
Philadelphia 56
Austin 55
San Antonio 50
Raleigh/Durham 50
New Orleans 50
Sacramento 43
Fort Myers 35
Columbus 34
Jacksonville 34
Indianapolis 31
Sanford 30
Cleveland 30
Pittsburgh 27
Boise 26
Louisville 24
Tucson 24
Charleston 23
Cincinnati 23
Norfolk 22
Punta Gorda 22
Pensacola 21
Richmond 21
Albuquerque 21
Hartford 21
Savannah 21
Valparaiso 20

[Louie]

Can’t believe we still haven’t gotten nonstop to Boston back.

Couldn't agree more.

[Mr.Nuke]

Can’t believe we still haven’t gotten nonstop to Boston back.

Couldn't agree more.

Has Omaha ever had nonstop to Boston to lose? Delta is doing a one off on 5/2 departing on 5/4 for Berkshire.

[NEDodger]

Can’t believe we still haven’t gotten nonstop to Boston back.

Couldn't agree more.

Has Omaha ever had nonstop to Boston to lose? Delta is doing a one off on 5/2 departing on 5/4 for Berkshire.

Yeah, I had taken it maybe 15 years ago. Has obviously been a while.

[Mr.Nuke]

Can’t believe we still haven’t gotten nonstop to Boston back.

Couldn't agree more.

Has Omaha ever had nonstop to Boston to lose? Delta is doing a one off on 5/2 departing on 5/4 for Berkshire.

Yeah, I had taken it maybe 15 years ago. Has obviously been a while.

What airline?

[Mr.Nuke]

March down -7.2%, down 5.0% YTD. Everyone down for the month other than Sun Country which didn't carry many people and is only listed to due to the year over year technicality.
https://www.flyoma.com/wp-content/uploa ... istics.pdf

[skinzfan23]

Ouch, another bad month.

[Louie]

I wonder if the construction is deterring air travel?

[NEDodger]

Can’t believe we still haven’t gotten nonstop to Boston back.

Couldn't agree more.

Has Omaha ever had nonstop to Boston to lose? Delta is doing a one off on 5/2 departing on 5/4 for Berkshire.

Yeah, I had taken it maybe 15 years ago. Has obviously been a while.

What airline?

Oof. Back then I think we were only doing Delta and Southwest?

[Mr.Nuke]

I wonder if the construction is deterring air travel?

Virtually nobody is avoiding Eppley due to the construction. As the Kansas City and Des Moines numbers show from last month this is a more macro aviation and economic thing than anything to due with Eppley.

Oof. Back then I think we were only doing Delta and Southwest?

Eppley used to have like 15+ airlines I still cannot ever find a time when there was a regular direct flight to Boston in the past 40ish years. I could be wrong though.

[iamjacobm]

Airline traffic the rest of the year.

[Garrett]

I’d assume the March 19 Blizzard at least explains some of this

[Louie]

On the plus side, at least the terminal construction is underway and these numbers won't prevent that from happening like they would have/did in the past.

[Mr.Nuke]

I’d assume the March 19 Blizzard at least explains some of this

Yeah losing most of a day of passengers is certainly going to have some impact. How much is uncertain, especially when February was down even further. People with flexible travel likely largely rebooked. It is kind of like last month though that there are larger macro issues within air travel and the economy that aren't Omaha specific that are causing passenger declines. Again like last month, we can wait to see what Des Moines and Kansas City show, but it is probably going to be similar.

[Bob from Omaha]

Des Moines was down but not quite as much. KCI has been lazy about posting their numbers. Last month I had to ask. Other airports are experiencing similar results.

[Bob from Omaha]

[Ben]

https://www.3newsnow.com/news/local-new ... dVvfuhP5nw

Nothing new, but some nice renderings of the new central concourse and some timeline updates as to when various stages of the project will happen..

[Mr.Nuke]

https://www.3newsnow.com/news/local-new ... dVvfuhP5nw

Nothing new, but some nice renderings of the new central concourse and some timeline updates as to when various stages of the project will happen..

The last bullet point is pretty interesting because we don't see international PDEW data.

McCoy says Cancun is the destination with the highest unserved demand at Eppley.

Eppley also had 787 weather diversion yesterday.

[Greg S]

I had no idea a 787 had never been to Eppley before yesterday. Wow.

[Bearcat06]

https://www.3newsnow.com/news/local-new ... dVvfuhP5nw

Nothing new, but some nice renderings of the new central concourse and some timeline updates as to when various stages of the project will happen..

The last bullet point is pretty interesting because we don't see international PDEW data.

McCoy says Cancun is the destination with the highest unserved demand at Eppley.

Eppley also had 787 weather diversion yesterday.

You beat me too this Nuke, just saw it on Facebook.

Pretty cool, now we know a 787 can arrive and depart OMA...though I'm guessing when departing they were fully loaded with fuel, so that could make a difference.

[Brad]

Pretty cool, now we know a 787 can arrive and depart OMA...though I'm guessing when departing they were fully loaded with fuel, so that could make a difference.

They only need 8500 feet and Eppley has a 9500' runway.

[Mr.Nuke]

I had no idea a 787 had never been to Eppley before yesterday. Wow.

It is one of those things that is a bit surprising, but shouldn't necessarily be either. The plane has been in service for 10+ years now, but obviously aside from some domestic positioning flights, most operators typically use it on international service. Eppley obviously lacking a FIS (for now), makes it not necessarily the greatest spot to divert to when you may need C&I. We saw the Delta A350 a year or two ago so it happens occasionally, but isn't obviously all that common. Again though it may be come more common with a FIS, and depending on staffing levels.

Pretty cool, now we know a 787 can arrive and depart OMA...though I'm guessing when departing they were fully loaded with fuel, so that could make a difference.

They only need 8500 feet and Eppley has a 9500' runway.

Yeah I mean it is a little more complicated than that, but still trying to keep it simple, Brad your 8500 feet is the required runway length for a 787-8 at maximum takeoff weight in standard atmospheric conditions. This was a 787-9, which would require more runway at MTOW (nearly 12,000 feet). But..., this was a plane that was weight/balanced/fueled to meet takeoff performance at Heathrow with 11 or 12+ hours of fuel. It only needed to have about two hours of fuel departing Eppley so it was no where near the MTOW departing Eppley, thus the required length of runway would have been less. Takeoff performance is a combination of the plane/engines, actual passenger/cargo/fuel weight and atmospheric conditions, to the point that most airlines, if takeoff performance exceeds the required runway length, they'll de-rate and or assume temp limit engine performance to conserve engine wear.

[Gobears27]

Is there enough land at eppley to extend any of the runways to accommodate wide body aircraft?

[Louie]

Is there enough land at eppley to extend any of the runways to accommodate wide body aircraft?

That's a good question, maybe Nuke knows more about what is needed as far as the lead up to the runways here:

[Grow Omaha]

Stephen McCoy - Omaha Airport Authority: April 2025